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Pairs skaters do manage longer careers but I don't recall any who has started the discipline after a long career in singles, that's where the big difference is. Of course if it's just an experiment it should be fine, but when Raymonde said ""If you want, you can continue in pairs, but not in singles. You are 29 years old and you have to stop now." it gave me the impression that she sees pairs as a lighter alternative to compete in and end his career, the same way European soccer players go play in the US at the end of their careers... I honestly don't see the point of it, except for him to get coaching experience, but it's not my body...

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Well, I also got the impression that she was saying that because she knew he wouldn't be pursuing pairs as seriously as singles, that he wasn't aiming to be Olympic or World champion in the discipline, simply to gain some experience and compete a bit. That, along with not doing quads and 3As everyday, would be a little easier physically. Brian himself has always talked about pairs skaters with a lot of respect. He has also said that when he was younger, he didn't think he had the personality for it, since one's success depends so much on another person and he wouldn't have been able to handle it if his partner messed up.

I'd be curious to see how he does with the pair elements - lifts, twists, throws. That article posted above said he was working on lifts with Daria - any photos/videos out there?

I think you mean Yamaguchi/Galindo, who both competed in singles and pairs until dropping pairs and continuing as singles skaters. Robert Wagonhoffer did also skate both. Then there is Ken Shelley, who not only skated both but finished 7th in singles and bronze in pairs at the same Worlds.

Still those examples were all from many years ago and none of them turned to pairs late in their careers. I can't think of anyone with a career path similar to Joubert, who competed elite singles for over a decade, then took up pairs.

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I was talking about Yamaguchi and Waggenhoffer as I wrote. I know their career, thanks

Yes it's long ago but it still shows single and pairs can be learn by the same person.
Yes it's not the same as Joubert's situation, but his experience won't be useless if he really goes on with pairs skating.

James also was a single skater, she won the last british title Jenna didn't enter/win since 2002 or so (feel free to correct).

Pairs skaters do manage longer careers but I don't recall any who has started the discipline after a long career in singles, that's where the big difference is. Of course if it's just an experiment it should be fine, but when Raymonde said ""If you want, you can continue in pairs, but not in singles. You are 29 years old and you have to stop now." it gave me the impression that she sees pairs as a lighter alternative to compete in and end his career, the same way European soccer players go play in the US at the end of their careers... I honestly don't see the point of it, except for him to get coaching experience, but it's not my body...

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People have different aims.

Joubert kept competing in singles even though, by his own admission, he was aware he wasn't able to keep up any more and did not have the technical content to aim for championship medals.

With his pairs career, all he is saying is that he wants some pairs experience so that he can coach pairs as well. It's not like he is saying he is aiming for an Olympic gold medal.

With his pairs career, all he is saying is that he wants some pairs experience so that he can coach pairs as well. It's not like he is saying he is aiming for an Olympic gold medal.

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Yes, I know. I think my beef with this type of career move is that many years down the road, when no one remembers the context and details that surround one's late career decisions, there will be people who look at his competitive record and think this was a botched attempt when in fact he was meeting his goals. But I'm an advocate of quitting while you're winning for this very reason, it's just that as an anthropologist I look for the context of the situations and for that very reason I know very well that they often get lost in time.

Yes, I know. I think my beef with this type of career move is that many years down the road, when no one remembers the context and details that surround one's late career decisions, there will be people who look at his competitive record and think this was a botched attempt when in fact he was meeting his goals. But I'm an advocate of quitting while you're winning for this very reason, it's just that as an anthropologist I look for the context of the situations and for that very reason I know very well that they often get lost in time.

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I don't see how Joubert is responsible for how some people might interpret his possible pairs career many years from now. It's certainly not a good reason not to give it a shot.

Tiffany Zahorski finally has a new partner! She's teamed up with Jonathan Guerreio & they are training in Moscow. I wonder which country they will represent? In terms of getting to Euros & Worlds you would think they'd have a better chance in France, but it's easier for Tiffany to change countries than for him as she hasn't competed since Euros 2012.

thanks the figure skating god for finding someone for zahorski, though i am one (of thew few, i know) who can't see anything special in guerrerio. i am absolutely not impressed by him but am totally willing that he proves me wrong

btw, as mentioned zahorski, what's with lorenz/miart? does this pair exist?

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Anyone have an update on whether or not Lorenz/Miart are training together? The following was posted on March 17 in this thread:

I posted about that earlier in the thread - the most recent news I have is that she was in a show a couple of months ago.

I don't see how Joubert is responsible for how some people might interpret his possible pairs career many years from now. It's certainly not a good reason not to give it a shot.

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He is not responsible for it obviously, it's just something that bothers me, hopefully history will be kind to him or you'll see me as an old lady writing angry letters/emails/whatever-goes-then to set the record straight with whoever tells the story wrong.

Tiffany Zahorski finally has a new partner! She's teamed up with Jonathan Guerreio & they are training in Moscow. I wonder which country they will represent? In terms of getting to Euros & Worlds you would think they'd have a better chance in France, but it's easier for Tiffany to change countries than for him as she hasn't competed since Euros 2012.

Tiffany Zahorski finally has a new partner! She's teamed up with Jonathan Guerreio & they are training in Moscow. I wonder which country they will represent? In terms of getting to Euros & Worlds you would think they'd have a better chance in France, but it's easier for Tiffany to change countries than for him as she hasn't competed since Euros 2012.

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Excited to see them together. Glad she's back on the ice with a partner.

Don't know but if you want to suceed, either you play by his rules and bow down (and let him tear all the clubs apart, making sure NO promising skater can rise to the top) or you're toast. Take your pick.

I was just snooping around on Facebook and Twitter and it would seem that Wesley [Killing] finally has a partner now as well...Flora LeBlanc from France. She has no pairs experience from what I could tell, but it sounds like she is making the move to Canada.